One of the most famous Romantic composers is Johannes Brahms. His work is meticulous and highly structured and a common concert selection. Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Peter Oundjian, selected Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D Major, featuring concertmaster Jonathan Carney as the soloist, for this program. The evening also included Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a remarkable ensemble of musicians led by a powerhouse conductor.
The violin concerto features three movements. The first one has a beautiful build-up from the orchestra leading to the entrance of the solo violin. Carney’s nimble fingering and depth of emotion as he plays is delicate and nuanced. The full and vibrant first movement partners well with the more gentle and pastoral second. The final movement felt celebratory and compelling. The intricacies of this piece are astonishing and Carney and the orchestra executed them brilliantly,
Shostakovich’s eleventh symphony is titled “The Year 1905.” He based this symphony off of the events of “Bloody Sunday,” when the Tsar Nicholas II’s soldiers opened fire on a crowd of peaceful civilians, killing 130 and creating the catalyst for the Russian Revolution of 1917. The first movement is calm and feels like a cold and foggy morning. The drums sound distant and there is an eeriness. The second movement is the horrific incident itself, a stirring frenzy of instruments that rises into an emotionally explosive moment. The third movement is a funeral march, sad and reflective. The finale is cinematic and bombastic. The driving themes feel like a call to action. The intention was to remind audiences of these events whenever faced with oppression.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a remarkable ensemble of musicians led by a powerhouse conductor.
Run time: 2 hours 15 minutes with 1 intermission
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performed at the Music Center at Strathmore. For more information click here.
